More than mortality data: a news media analysis of COVID-19 deaths in Aotearoa, New Zealand

Article


Morgan, Tessa, Carey, Melissa, Gott, Merryn, Williams, Lisa, Egli, Victoria and Anderson, Natalie. 2021. "More than mortality data: a news media analysis of COVID-19 deaths in Aotearoa, New Zealand." Kotuitui: New Zealand Journal Of Social Sciences Online. 16 (2), pp. 419-43. https://doi.org/10.1080/1177083X.2021.1905006
Article Title

More than mortality data: a news media analysis of COVID-19 deaths in Aotearoa, New Zealand

ERA Journal ID124350
Article CategoryArticle
AuthorsMorgan, Tessa (Author), Carey, Melissa (Author), Gott, Merryn (Author), Williams, Lisa (Author), Egli, Victoria (Author) and Anderson, Natalie (Author)
Journal TitleKotuitui: New Zealand Journal Of Social Sciences Online
Journal Citation16 (2), pp. 419-43
Number of Pages13
Year2021
Place of PublicationNew Zealand
ISSN1177-083X
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1080/1177083X.2021.1905006
Web Address (URL)https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1177083X.2021.1905006
Abstract

News media have an important social role during times of disruption including national emergencies. This paper bears witness to the 21 New Zealanders who died during the first lockdown due to COVID-19 by critically examining the nature of their portrayal in mainstream newspapers. We searched Knowledgebasket for newspapers published between 28 February 2020 and 13 May 2020 relating to COVID-19 deaths. Of the 147 included articles, 50 were selected for in-depth thematic analysis. Our key finding is that COVID-19 made the death of ordinary older New Zealanders newsworthy, albeit in a way that distinguished individuals by residential status. This is reflected in the themes identified: (1) Unexpected community deaths; (2) Inevitable aged residential care deaths; (3) Justification for lockdown measures. We conclude that New Zealand journalists played an important advocacy role in justifying New Zealand’s ‘go hard go early’ approach through the largely compassionate coverage of older people’s deaths.

KeywordsCOVID-19; death; media analysis; newspapers; aged residential care
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020441007. Sociology and social studies of science and technology
420503. Community and primary care
Byline AffiliationsUniversity of Auckland, New Zealand
Institution of OriginUniversity of Southern Queensland
Permalink -

https://research.usq.edu.au/item/q64qq/more-than-mortality-data-a-news-media-analysis-of-covid-19-deaths-in-aotearoa-new-zealand

Download files


Published Version
  • 124
    total views
  • 99
    total downloads
  • 3
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Digital health literacy to enhance workforce skills and clinical effectiveness: A response to ‘Digital health literacy: Helpful today, dependency tomorrow? Contingency planning in a digital age’
Haydon, Helen M., Snoswell, Centaine L., Jones, Cindy, Carey, Melissa, Taylor, Melissa, Horstmanshof, Louise, Hicks, Richard, Lotfaliany, Mojtaba and Banbury, Annie. 2023. "Digital health literacy to enhance workforce skills and clinical effectiveness: A response to ‘Digital health literacy: Helpful today, dependency tomorrow? Contingency planning in a digital age’." Australasian Journal on Ageing. 42 (4), pp. 803-804. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajag.13257
Exploring the impact of e-learning modules and webinars on health professionals' understanding of the End of Life Choice Act 2019: a secondary analysis of Manatū Hauora - Ministry of Health workforce survey
Dehkhoda, Aida, Frey, Rosemary, Carey, Melissa, Jing, Xuepeng, Robinson, Jackie, Sundram, Frederick, Hoeh, Nicholas, Bull, Susan, Menkes, David and Cheung, Gary. 2023. "Exploring the impact of e-learning modules and webinars on health professionals' understanding of the End of Life Choice Act 2019: a secondary analysis of Manatū Hauora - Ministry of Health workforce survey." New Zealand Medical Journal. 136 (1582), pp. 52-63.
A bad time to die? Exploring bereaved families/wha-nau experiences of end-of-life care under COVID-19 restrictions: a qualitative interview study
Morgan, Tessa, Gott, Merryn, Williams, Lisa, Naden, Joe, Wang, Yingmin, Smith, Brianna, Fanueli, Elizabeth, Setyawati, Martyarini Budi, Morgan, Kathryn, Robinson, Jackie, Anderson, Natalie, Carey, Melissa and Moeke-Maxwell, Tess. 2023. "A bad time to die? Exploring bereaved families/wha-nau experiences of end-of-life care under COVID-19 restrictions: a qualitative interview study." Palliative Care and Social Practice. https://doi.org/10.1177/26323524231189525
Family & bystander experiences of emergency ambulance services care: a scoping review
Satchell, Eillish, Carey, Melissa, Dicker, Bridget, Drake, Haydn, Gott, Merryn, Moeke-Maxwell, Tess and Anderson, Natalie. 2023. "Family & bystander experiences of emergency ambulance services care: a scoping review." BMC Emergency Medicine. 23. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12873-023-00829-3
Health professionals’ understanding and attitude towards the End of Life Choice Act 2019: a secondary analysis of Manatū Hauora – Ministry of Health workforce surveys
Dehkhoda, Aida, Frey, Rosemary, Carey, Melissa, Jing, Xuepeng, Bull, Susan, Sundram, Frederick, Hoeh, Nicholas R, Menkes, David, Robinson, Jacqualine and Cheung, Gary. 2023. "Health professionals’ understanding and attitude towards the End of Life Choice Act 2019: a secondary analysis of Manatū Hauora – Ministry of Health workforce surveys ." New Zealand Medical Journal. 36 (1576), pp. 11-31.
Health literacy, dementia knowledge and perceived utility of digital health modalities among future health professionals
Haydon, Helen M., Lotfaliany, Mojtaba, Jones, Cindy, Chelberg, Georgina R., Horstmanshof, Louise, Taylor, Melissa, Carey, Melissa, Snoswell, Centaine L., Hicks, Richard and Banbury, Annie. 2022. "Health literacy, dementia knowledge and perceived utility of digital health modalities among future health professionals." Australasian Journal on Ageing. 58 (4), pp. 253-263. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajag.13149
Nurses' experiences of supporting patients requesting voluntary assisted dying: A qualitative meta-synthesis
Sandham, Margaret, Carey, Melissa, Hedgecock, Emma and Jarden, Rebecca. 2022. "Nurses' experiences of supporting patients requesting voluntary assisted dying: A qualitative meta-synthesis." Journal of Advanced Nursing. 78 (10), pp. 3101-3115. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.15324
With assisted dying now a reality, what do nurses need?
Sandham, Margaret, Winnington, Rhona and Carey, Melissa. 2022. "With assisted dying now a reality, what do nurses need?" Kai Tiaki: Nursing New Zealand. 29 September.
Bullying, discrimination, and sexual harassment among intensive care unit nurses in Australia and New Zealand: An online survey
Parke, Rachael, Bates, Samantha, Carey, Melissa, Cavadino, Alana, Ferguson, Adele, Hammond, Naomi, Joyce, Fiona, Kirby, Steve, Moeke-Maxwell, Tess, Nona, Francis and Mason, Kathleen. 2023. "Bullying, discrimination, and sexual harassment among intensive care unit nurses in Australia and New Zealand: An online survey." Australian Critical Care. 36 (1), pp. 10-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aucc.2022.08.010
Educating the educators: Implementing cultural safety in the nursing and midwifery curriculum
Best, Odette, Cox, Leonie, Ward, Aletha, Graham, Coralie, Bayliss, Luke, Black, Barbara, Burton, Lucinda, Carey, Melissa, Davis, Teresa, Derrington, Kate, Elliott, Jessie, Jayasinghe, Thenuja, Luyke, Trish, Maher, Dianne, McGregor, Rowena, Ng, Linda, O'Malley, Lee, Roderick, Geraldine, Sheridan, Georgina, ..., Walker, Jan. 2022. "Educating the educators: Implementing cultural safety in the nursing and midwifery curriculum." Nurse Education Today. 117, pp. 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2022.105473
Healing the Spirit: an autoethnographic research of survival through transmutation
Carter, Jennifer and Carey, Melissa. 2021. "Healing the Spirit: an autoethnographic research of survival through transmutation." Contemporary Ethnography Across Disciplines 2021: Research that Matters. Auckland, New Zealand 10 - 12 Nov 2021
Voluntary assisted dying: the expanded role of psychiatrists in Australia and New Zealand
Cheung, Gary, Frey, Rosemary, Young, Jessica, Hoeh, Nicholas, Carey, Melissa, Vara, Alisha and Menkes, David B.. 2022. "Voluntary assisted dying: the expanded role of psychiatrists in Australia and New Zealand." Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 56 (4), pp. 319-322. https://doi.org/10.1177/00048674221081419
Health services for New Zealand Maori and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australian children and young people
Carey, Melissa, Clague, Liesa, Magick Dennis, Fleur and Magick Dennis, Laurance. 2022. "Health services for New Zealand Maori and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australian children and young people." Fraser, Jennifer, Waters, Donna, Forster, Elizabeth and Brown, Nicola (ed.) Paediatric nursing in Australia and New Zealand: principles for practice. Cambridge, United Kingdom. Cambridge University Press. pp. 53-81
Lessons from the Field: An Autoethnographic Account of a Mental Health Peer Worker
Guaresi, Elizabeth Anne and Carey, Melissa. 2022. "Lessons from the Field: An Autoethnographic Account of a Mental Health Peer Worker." The Ethnographic Edge. 5 (1).
Maori palliative and end of life experiences during lockdown restrictions, enabling culturally safe care
Carey, Melissa. 2021. "Maori palliative and end of life experiences during lockdown restrictions, enabling culturally safe care." 4th Annual Palliative, Aged, Dementia Care & Mental Health Forum. Melbourne, Australia 19 - 22 Jan 2021
The impact of interprofessional practice models on health service inequity: an integrative systematic review
Carey, Melissa Jane and Taylor, Melissa. 2021. "The impact of interprofessional practice models on health service inequity: an integrative systematic review." Journal of Health, Organization and Management. 35 (6), pp. 682-700. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHOM-04-2020-0165
Te Whakatara! – Tangihanga and bereavement COVID-19
Moeke-Maxwell, Tess, Waimarie Nikora, Linda, Mason, Kathleen and Carey, Melissa. 2020. "Te Whakatara! – Tangihanga and bereavement COVID-19." The Ethnographic Edge. 4, pp. 19-34. https://doi.org/10.15663/tee.v4i.77
Cultural Identity and Higher Education
Carey, Melissa. 2019. "Cultural Identity and Higher Education." Advance Pacific Research Australia (APRA): Navigating Academic Horizons (2019). Nathan, Australia 22 Oct 2019
Review of interprofessional practice models for impact on health service inequities
Carey, Melissa and Taylor, Melissa. 2019. "Review of interprofessional practice models for impact on health service inequities." Health Services Research Association of Australia & New Zealand 11th Health Services and Policy Research Conference: Addressing Health Service Inequities to Improve Health Systems Performance (HSRAANZ 2019). Auckland, New Zealand 04 - 06 Dec 2019 Sydney, Australia.
Health education programs: a global opportunity for reconciliation
Carey, Melissa and Duff, Diane. 2017. "Health education programs: a global opportunity for reconciliation." 2017 World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education: A Celebration of Resilience. Toronto, Canada 24 - 28 Jul 2017
Withdrawal versus continuation of long-term antipsychotic drug use for behavioural and psychological symptoms in older people with dementia
Neville, Christine, Beccaria, Lisa and Carey, Melissa. 2020. "Withdrawal versus continuation of long-term antipsychotic drug use for behavioural and psychological symptoms in older people with dementia." Issues in Mental Health Nursing. 41 (2), pp. 176-177. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2019.1635669
A mixed method case study: the preparedness of a school of nursing and midwifery in teaching mandated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health in undergraduate nursing curriculum
Best, Odette, Carey, Melissa and Rigg, Elizabeth. 2019. "A mixed method case study: the preparedness of a school of nursing and midwifery in teaching mandated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health in undergraduate nursing curriculum." National Nursing Forum 2019: Nursing Now - Power of Policy. Hobart, Tasmania 21 - 23 Aug 2019 Deakin, ACT, Australia.
Capturing smoke: exploring literature on end-of life care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Carey, Melissa and Ashe, Taigan. 2019. "Capturing smoke: exploring literature on end-of life care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples." AIATSIS National Indigenous Research Conference 2019. Brisbane, Australia 01 - 03 Jul 2019 Australia.
Reawakening spiritual roots in nursing practice: sacred places and sacred spaces
Carter, Jennifer and Carey, Melissa. 2018. "Reawakening spiritual roots in nursing practice: sacred places and sacred spaces." Rinehart, Robert E., Kidd, Jacquie and Quiroga, Antonia Garcia (ed.) Southern hemisphere ethnographies of space, place and time. United Kingdom. Peter Lang Publishing. pp. 103-118
The transformative process of Indigenous autoethnography: (re)connecting with Kaupapa Māori [Online case study]
Carey, Melissa. 2018. "The transformative process of Indigenous autoethnography: (re)connecting with Kaupapa Māori [Online case study]." Sage Research Methods. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526439994
Pushing back against competencies in nursing curriculum design
Carey, Melissa. 2018. "Pushing back against competencies in nursing curriculum design." 7th International Nurse Education Conference: Research, Scholarship and Evaluation: Ensuring Nursing Leadership in Education Practice and Healthcare. Banff, Canada 06 - 09 May 2018
The transformative experiences of cultural healing: An autoethnography of Kaupapa Māori
Carey, Melissa. 2016. "The transformative experiences of cultural healing: An autoethnography of Kaupapa Māori." Emerald, Elke, Rinehart, Robert. E. and Garcia, Antonio (ed.) Global South Ethnographies: Minding the Senses. Netherlands. Sense Publishers. pp. 209-220
Incorporating Indigenous knowledge into research practice
Carey, Melissa. 2011. "Incorporating Indigenous knowledge into research practice." World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium Journal. 2011, pp. 37-44.
Enacting indigenous space: weaving our place
Carey, Melissa. 2016. "Enacting indigenous space: weaving our place." Ethnographic Imaginings - Place, Space & Time (CEAD 2016). Cape Town, South Africa 15 - 18 Nov 2016
A transformative journey of cultural recovery: Te Ao Maori
Carey, Melissa Jane Louise. 2016. A transformative journey of cultural recovery: Te Ao Maori. PhD Thesis Doctor of Philosophy. Queensland University of Technology.
Islander and education: the I-Kiribati experience - an Indigenous ethnographic approach
Carey, Melissa. 2011. Islander and education: the I-Kiribati experience - an Indigenous ethnographic approach. Germany. Lambert Academic Publishing.
My face, a window to communication: using creative design in learning
Emmanuel, Elizabeth, Collins, Diane and Carey, Melissa. 2010. "My face, a window to communication: using creative design in learning." Nurse Education Today. 30 (8), pp. 720-725. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2010.01.011